Our Team

PATRICK KENNIFF has been active in executive search since 1997. He co-founded Kenniff & Racine inc. in 2003. His experience of the public and private sectors, as well as of organizational management and management team building, constitutes an important advantage in his practice. He has carried out assignments in several fields, including: technology, manufacturing, universities, non-profit organizations.

He is very active in the Montréal community and currently sits on the boards of the Old Port of Montréal Corporation, the Grace Dart Extended Care Centre, Les Amis de la Montagne and the Can Serve Foundation. He also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Espace pour la vie, the Nature Museums of Montréal foundation.

Patrick graduated in law from Université Laval, is a member of the Québec Bar and holds a Ph.D. in Law from the London School of Economics. His rich and varied career in law and management has provided him with extensive hands-on experience in the management of large organizations and human resources management.

As Québec's Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs from 1979 to 1984, he planned and oversaw the implementation of a number of important legislative reforms relating to the organization and operation of municipal institutions in the province. In 2001, he served as Vice-President of the Transition Committee responsible for implementing the structure for the new City of Montréal. During a ten-year tenure as Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University, he played an active role in community affairs and the promotion of Montréal, notably as President of the successful celebrations organized to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the founding of Montréal in 1992. He has served on the Boards and Executive Committees of some of Montréal's premier cultural and community organizations, such as the Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Montréal Archaeology and History Museum (Pointe-à -Callière) and the Foundation of St. Mary's Hospital. He was a member of the Board of the Greater Montréal Board of Trade and the Montréal Exchange.

Patrick speaks and writes French and English fluently. He also speaks Italian.

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ROBERT RACINE has been in executive search since 2000. He co-founded Kenniff & Racine inc. in 2003. His considerable experience of both the public and private sectors, his knowledge of change management in the context of mergers, acquisitions and disinvestment in publicly-traded companies add important value to his professional work on behalf of his clients as well as with candidates. His practice concentrates on the following fields: communications, telecommunications, manufacturing, finance, services, engineering, associations and community groups.

As a member of the Board of Directors and the executive committee of the Greater Montréal Board of Trade from 2005 to 2007, of the Boards of Directors of Stationnement de Montréal from 2005 to 2010, of the Société de vélo en libre-service (Bixi) from 2009 to 2010, of the Quebec Arthritis Society since 2005, of the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde (TNM) since 2007 and of the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations (MCFR) since 2011, he has worked with many non-profit organisations over the years, not only in the healthcare and cultural fields but with business groups as well.

Robert holds a Bachelor's degree in communications from the Université du Québec à Montréal. He has more than 25 years of experience in the fields of public and governmental affairs as well as in financial communications. He gained this experience not only in Canada but abroad. Through his expertise in corporate affairs and organisational structures, he has built a solid professional reputation and a considerable business network.

Between 1978 and 1999, he worked for the following organisations: Alcan, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC Financial Group), Canada Post Corporation, Office of the Speaker of the House of Commons, SNC and SNC-Lavalin.

Robert is fluent in French and English, both oral and written.

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CLAUDE MARTEL has been in executive search since 1997, as a recruiter in both the Canadian and U.S. markets. As a researcher and an associate with important national and international search firms, he acquired significant expertise by taking part in search assignments for presidents, general managers, senior and middle managers, for a range of clients from start-up companies to multinational corporations, non-profit organizations and governments. Prior to his executive search career, Claude was an officer in the Canadian Forces. He holds a BA in military and strategic studies and military psychology from the Collège militaire royal in Saint-Jean, Québec.

Claude deeply believes in giving back to the community and is an active volunteer. His past and present community involvements include Junior Achievement of Québec, En Coeur (the Québec Foundation for children with heart disease), Centre Action Bénévole, Allo J’écoute, the Canadian Red Cross Society and the Royal Military Colleges Club of Canada. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of Théâtre du Grand Jour, a creative theatre company addressing the theme of social responsibility, and is the Chair of its Campaign Cabinet. He is also an active volunteer parent at his children’s school.

He is fluent in French and English, both oral and written.

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KARINE ROBERT has been in executive search since 2000 and joined the Kenniff & Racine team in December 2005. As a researcher and associate, she acquired international experience in executive search while working in Paris at the headquarters of a major international firm, considered as a European leader in direct recruitment.

Since arriving in Canada at the beginning of 2005, Karine has worked as associate and conducted assignments in the Canadian market, thereby acquiring knowledge of both the European and Canadian markets while serving clients on both continents.

Karine holds a joint Master's degree in International Business Management, specializing in Human Resources, from both the ESCEM School of Business and Management of Tours-Poitiers in France and the University of Sherbrooke. She is also a member of the Québec Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés (CRHA).

Karine is a member of the French Chamber of commerce in Montréal and she is very active in the local francophone community. As a recruiter, she offers advice and assists students and alumni of ESCEM and the University of Sherbrooke. She also participates in forums and meetings to help them enter the job market.

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KENDRA FAYARD started her career in executive search in 2005. Over the next six years, she acquired significant experience in various industries, working on several assignments first as a researcher, then as a recruiter. She joined Kenniff & Racine as an Associate in February 2011.

Prior to 2005, she was in the telecommunications industry for five years with the independent European leader in mobile phone distribution, where she started as Manager, Training and was eventually promoted to Manager, Sales Development and Internal Communication.

Kendra holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from INSEEC Business School – Paris, where she majored in Marketing.

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LOUIS-RÉMI KENNIFF joined our team in 2005, while he was pursuing his university studies. As Research Assistant, he provided solid support in the initial stages of search assignments, particularly database and web research. Upon graduation in 2007, he continued his role on a full-time basis, assuming continuously increasing responsibilities with respect to different aspects of the search process.

In his present role as Associate, Research and Quality Assurance, he is mainly responsible for research and research strategies, proposal contracts and other deliverables, quality control, process optimization, as well as database and website management and maintenance.

Louis-Rémi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Major in Human Resources) from the Université du Québec à Montréal. Prior to attending university, he had the benefit of spending two years working in the United Kingdom and travelling across Europe. He speaks and writes French and English fluently.

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